40-year old woman escapes lynching over child theft in Anambra

A 40-year old woman narrowly escaped lynching for allegedly stealing a 3-year old boy, Kamsiyochukwu Onwughalu in Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The victim’s mother, Mrs Uchechukwu Onwughalu, had asked his elder sibling to look after him while she rushed to the community palm kernel oil mill for some oil last Friday morning.

DAILY VENDOR gathered that the victim was playing with other children in the neighborhood when the suspect approached them, brought out money and sent the elderly ones among them to buy akara balls for them to share.

A resident of the area who simply identified himself as Ekediegwu, said while they left, leaving the boy with the woman and other children behind, she quickly sneaked out with the boy.

“On return, they met only the rest of the children without Kamsiyochukwu, a development that prompted them to raise alarm which attracted the attention of passers-by.

He said the passers-by, with the aid of village urchins mobilised a search party which laid ambush at the community’s exit routes, together with some of the children who claimed they could identify her if seen.

He added, “Luck however, ran out on the woman as she was sighted by one of the children being conveyed on a motorcycle alone, though without the boy.

“While the villagers were flagging down the bike man, he sped off and they pursued her up to Ekwusigo junction where she intended to board a vehicle back to her destination.

“She was immediately dragged down from the bike, beaten and was nearly lynched before she was quickly thrown into a vehicle by those who did not want to be accused of jungle justice and taken to Ozubulu Police station where she is presently cooling off.

Parents of the boy, Mr and Mrs Nonso Onwughalu, told newsmen that, “since the day of this incident till now, nothing tangible has been done by the police at Ozubulu to recover our stolen son from the stranger.”

“The worst is that her members come to the police station daily to feed her and have even demanded for her release claiming she has fell sick”.

“Since the Ozubulu Police station could not do anything to recover our son from the suspect, we have petitioned the State Commissioner of Police, Mr John Abang for his intervention, may be by Tuesday we may know what next but we plead to the CP to prevail on his men at Ozubulu for a discreete investigation.”